Archive for the 'CSS3' topic

Speaking the same language as your developers is hugely beneficial and knowing some CSS will help you do that. Having this common language aids in creating a more collaborative feel to conversations with developers versus dictating to them what to do. That’s why we’ve asked Jenn Lukas to give a full-day workshop at the UI20 Conference […]

Animation in interfaces has traditionally been seen as purely decorative and unnecessary. There are real accessibility and usability concerns associated with a heavy reliance on Flash. Advances in CSS have allowed for sophisticated animations and transitions that actually add to the experience. In fact, a well timed transition can help alleviate the cognitive load on users.

The web is no longer fixed width. Designs are more malleable than ever because of fluid grids, media queries, and everything else that comes with responsive web design. This makes using static photoshop comps as a deliverable unmanageable. Design workflows inevitably have to change and adapt as the way we design for the web evolves.

With the mobile web, specifically m dot sites increasingly becoming a thing of the past, responsive web design has become common practice. The ability for your site to display across screen sizes and devices, reduces development time and allows for one design to work anywhere. However, this shouldn’t signal a shift away from mobile-first thinking.

The “designer who can code” has been dubbed the elusive unicorn of the UX realm. But more important than being equally good at both skill sets is being able to communicate with the other side. If designers understand even a little bit about code it breaks down silos within the team. Greater communication leads to shared understanding. This collaborative environment allows for faster iteration and better design.

Responsive web design seems to come up in every other discussion or article about UX these days. And rightfully so as it’s an elegant way to make sure your design adapts to the multitude of devices on the market. But with the Internet of Things looming, it’s becoming more than just the visuals of your site that are of major concern. How your content displays on a car dashboard, “can a watch handle this page weight?”, or “is this refrigerator JavaScript enabled?” are not unrealistic issues moving forward.

Our annual UX Immersion Mobile conference was jam-packed with insights from some of today’s UX Mobile experts. If you missed out on Seattle back in April, you can still get a piece of the experience through UXIM OnDemand. This awesome resource allows you and your team to access all the audio, video, and session materials from UXIM 2013. Here’s a sample of the talks.

Typography wears many hats in the user experience world. It’s part of the overall look of the visual design. It can convey tone and meaning of the content. Well set type can improve the user experience through readability and be an important piece of the accessibility puzzle for users with low vision. As with most things involving the web these days, typography isn’t immune to the disruption caused by mobile and multi-device design.

In this week’s UIEtips, Jared discusses the cost effectiveness of responsive design vs. creating a separate mobile version of a web site. Here’s an excerpt from the article Which is more expensive: a responsive design web site or creating a separate mobile version? This is a constant debate among many organizations. We can answer it […]

With the emergence of techniques like responsive web design, many of the traditional prototyping methods become difficult to employ. Sketches and wireframes have in some cases given way to HTML and CSS prototyping so that users and clients can experience a richer, more complete interaction.